


The Criminal Masterminds of Los Santos

by lilbev24



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-03 03:51:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilbev24/pseuds/lilbev24
Summary: The Fake AH Crew has been adrift since the death of their leader, Geoff Ramsey. When a call comes in, the Vagabond sees it as an opportunity to not only make some cash, but to bring the band back together.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Divided We Fall](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6413266) by [DmitriMolotov](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DmitriMolotov/pseuds/DmitriMolotov). 



Ryan took a deep breath and stepped out on to the balcony of his penthouse. The sun was just setting over Los Santos and he watched as it dipped behind the Maze bank, crystallizing into shards of oranges and yellows. It had been almost a year since Geoff had sacrificed himself for the crew. Almost a year since they won the battle for Los Santos.

The crew had stayed together as best they could. They took about a month to process what had happened. Michael and Lindsay took an extended leave from Los Santos where they could focus on themselves. Gavin stuck to Jack, trying to keep close to his only remaining connection to Geoff. Jeremy ran around doing small jobs for the B-team. Matt would join him occasionally, but only if Jeremy wanted the company. Ryan kept to himself, checking in with Trevor sporadically to make sure things were still running smoothly. With the idle time, he started up his own gun running business in the underground of Los Santos, hiring only the best of the best to keep things running. The crew would occasionally take work if Trevor found the right job, but those jobs were few and far between.

For as much as Ryan's gun running business was booming, he was starting to grow antsy. He wanted a heist. He prayed for a heist. And it was as if someone was listening when he got a call from Lester. The premise was simple. There were a series of jobs he (and some other nice folks) needed done and if he did them, he'd get paid. All he needed was a crew of three other people. He knew exactly who he'd ask.

“How much are we talking?” Ryan asked, letting Lester into his penthouse. 

“10 million. Each. You have a crew in mind?”

“Shit.” Ryan mused.

“You'll get paid for each job you complete and when they're all done, you'll get your 10 million bonus. Are you in?” Lester asked him.

“Let me make some calls.”

****

Four hours later, the lads were sitting on Ryan's couch wondering what the fuck he could possibly want. “Guys, I've got a job for us.”

“What is it?” Jeremy asked curiously.

“Lester dropped by earlier today and offered the take of a lifetime. All we've gotta do is complete a few jobs for him.” Ryan told them.

Michael and Gavin looked at each other. “A few jobs?” Michael seemed skeptical. “How many is a few?”

“Five total. There's some setup involved but... only five.”

“Only five. Like only five couldn't kill us.” Jeremy scoffed.

“Oh come on guys. We've been sitting on our hands for the last fucking year. This is our chance to make sure everyone knows we still run this city.” Ryan argued, looking at the three lads on his couch. They all still looked lost. Even after a year, he could tell they felt adrift. Anchor-less in the filth-infested sea that was Los Santos. “Look, we do the jobs. Get paid for the jobs. And at the end? We each take home a cool 10 million.” Ryan now had the lads attention.

“Fucking 10 million?!” 

“Yes Gavin. 10 fucking million.” Ryan was now grinning. He watched as the Lads looked around at each other, each making their decision in turn.

“I'm in!” Gavin replied.

“Sure. Why the fuck not?” Michael chimed in.

“I'm sure we won't fuck this up at all.” Jeremy joked.

“Alright. The first part is going to be real simple. So simple, we'll really only need two of us.” Ryan started to explain. “I'll take whoever wants to go with me.”

The lads hesitated for a moment before Jeremy spoke up. “I'll go with you Ry. Battle buddies, right?”

Ryan nodded, continuing his explanation. “First job Lester needs done is he needs a safety deposit box stolen from the Fleeca Bank. We're gonna pick up Lester and take him to stake out the bank. From there, we go back to his warehouse where we will pick up his assistant, Paige, and bring them both back here. They're going to leave us all of the information we're gonna need to complete the rest of the jobs.” Michael and Jeremy were paying close attention while Ryan noticed Gavin's eyes glazed over. “Gavin!”

“Sorry Ry. I'm listening.” Gavin squeaked, turning a light shade of red. Ryan rolled his eyes as Michael and Jeremy giggled.

“Anyway... the next part is a little more dangerous. I'm going to want all of us there. We've got to steal an armored Kuruma from a group of criminals. Mostly petty thieves who have been trying to make names for themselves. But they'll be armed. So I want the four of us there to deal with them quickly.”

“Gee. I thought you were just gonna leave us out Ry.” Michael replied sarcastically, grinning as he said it.

“I wouldn't be afraid to and you know it.” Ryan snapped back, mirroring Michael's grin. “Once we steal the Kuruma, we take it back to Lester's warehouse and wait for his okay.”

“What about security? The bank may be small but it'll still be monitored.” Gavin asked.

“Lester's got a hacking system that'll get us into the vault. When Jeremy and I case the place tomorrow with Lester, I'll figure out what the reach is for his system. It may be something you can do right from here.” 

“How much is this job paying?” Jeremy asked curiously

“Just over 35k each.” Ryan said shortly. “ As far as I know, all we have to do is crowd control and break in for the safety deposit box. No killing. Just in and out.”

“And cops?”

“I would almost be disappointed if they didn't show.” Ryan laughed. “So Michael, I know I said we'd really only need two of us, but if you want to come help with crowd control you can. I mean, once we figure out where we can start the hack from.”

“Ryan, are you sure we can do this?” Jeremy still seemed a bit nervous.

“There isn't anyone else I'd trust more to have my back and to succeed with than you guys.”


	2. Chapter Two

Ryan got a call from Lester the next morning. “I'm going to be by in an hour. Make sure your guys are ready.” was all Lester said before hanging up the phone.

Ryan immediately dialed Jeremy's number. “Lil J. You ready?” He asked when he heard Jeremy answer the phone. “Lester will be here in an hour.”

“Yeah. I'll be there in fifteen.” Jeremy replied. “No weapons, right?”

“No weapons. We're solely casing the Fleeca. That's it.”

“Alright. See you in fifteen.” They hung up and Ryan made a move to the kitchen, stashing his phone in his back pocket. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out a Diet Coke. Popping the tab, he took a sip, sighing contentedly as he did. He pulled out his phone again, shooting a text to the team in charge of his gun running operation. He quickly got a reply that things were good and they'd text him if that changed.

He put the phone back in his pocket and ambled down the hall to his bedroom, maneuvering his way into the bathroom. Pulling his pots of paint out from the cabinet, he set about painting his face. In the months after Geoff's death, he'd gone back to his red, black, and white harlequin design. It was the design he liked most when he wanted to keep things withdrawn within himself. For this, however, he decided on his simple black and white skull design. Still intimidating, but a little more exposure. A subtle way of letting the Lads know which Ryan they were dealing with.

He heard a meow as he finished the last stroke and looked down to see Violet staring up at him expectantly. “Yeah yeah. I know.” He chuckled, washing his brushes out and putting the paints away. He grabbed his leather jacket off the back of his bedroom door and shoved his black mask into the back pocket of his jeans before making his way back to the kitchen.

He was just finishing up getting Violet's food when his penthouse was buzzed. Checking the security feed, he saw a man in a cowboy hat and knew it was Jeremy. He buzzed him in and went back to putting the cat food away. 

“Thanks Ry.” He heard Jeremy say as he entered the apartment. Ryan smiled and Jeremy reciprocated. “So do we know anything else about this bank or box?”

“Nope. I'm sure Lester will fill us in when he gets here.” Ryan replied. “Want breakfast? We've got time.”

“Where did you learn to cook?” Jeremy took a seat at the bar in Ryan's kitchen.

“Listen, there are plenty of things I know that you don't know about.” Ryan grinned, pulling a pan out from under the cabinet. He pulled the eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator and set about making breakfast for the two of them. Jeremy watched as Ryan moved about the kitchen with the ease of someone who knew what they were doing.

“I like the face paint.” Jeremy finally said. “Nice to know where we stand.” He watched as Ryan froze. “No. I didn't mean it like that. I just... I've figured out the difference between the two designs. And yes, I know you're going to argue with me and say I'm reading to much into it but... it just always nice to see a little bit more of you.”

Jeremy relaxed when Ryan chuckled and turned toward him. “I think you're the only person who's ever called me out on it.”

“We wouldn't be battle buddies if I didn't call you on the bullshit.” Jeremy said and grinned when Ryan laughed. “Hey! Don't burn my eggs there.”

“I should but I won't.”

Ryan grabbed two plates from the top shelf and dished out the eggs and bacon. They sat in comfortable silence as they ate their breakfast. Jeremy's leg was bouncing slightly, a sign of nerves. “Ry? Are you sure we can do this?” Normally Jeremy would be full of confidence heading into a heist.

“Yes. I'm certain we can do it. I'm certain we will do it.” Ryan reassured him. “There isn't anyone else in this city that can pull this off the way we can.” They were both startled by his penthouse being buzzed. Checking the security feeds again, he buzzed Lester in. “Ready?”

Jeremy took a deep breath. “Ready.”

Ryan walked over and let Lester into the penthouse. Nobody said a word as Ryan led them to the spare room he used for heists. Lester nodded, approving. “This will work. If you guys are ready, we'll head out.”

Ryan and Jeremy followed Lester out of the apartment building, watching him head towards a blue Asea. They exchanged a look before approaching the car. “Ryan, I have at least thirty bandages.” Jeremy said, looking through his pockets. He heard Lester chuckle.

“Jesus Christ Jeremy! Why?”

“I am not fucking this up.” He shot at Ryan, watching a pedestrian pass by. “Ryan, I don't trust this chick. She's gonna kill me.”

“Just relax Jeremy. It's fine. No ones gonna kill you.” Ryan said and they could both feel the 'yet' hanging in the air.

“There's a Fleeca franchise on the Western Highway, near Chumash. That's where we're going.” Lester said as he climbed in to the back seat of the Asea. “You're probably wondering why this bank and not the others.” 

“We may be a bit curious.” Jeremy replied.

“In this particular Fleeca is a safety deposit box filled with some bonds. Bonds that would not be reported missing if they actually went missing. Got it?” Ryan and Jeremy nodded their heads in unison. “So, getting a hold of these bonds is important. They're worth more all the cash in the bank. Since I've got two of Los Santos' finest helping me out, it should be a piece of cake. Right?”

Jeremy glanced over at Ryan who had a look of concentration on his face. “Right.” They both agreed.

“So all we're doing is driving out to the bank, taking a look at it, picking up some equipment and then heading back to make our plans. Not hard. I'll show you the hacking system when we reach the bank and from there, you can work on it. Make sure you know exactly what it is you're doing.”

“Maybe we should have brought Gav along.” Jeremy muttered.

“What's the range on that system?” Ryan asked, glancing up at Lester in the rear view mirror. “Any chance you could do it from the apartment?”

“You could do it from anywhere in the goddamn city.”

Ryan quickly glanced over at Jeremy. “Pay attention to the system so you can explain it to Gav when we get back.”

“Got it.” Jeremy nodded, laying his head back against the headrest. Ryan started to grip the steering wheel tighter as he approached the bank. He had to slam on his breaks as a car cut across in front of him. Jeremy jerked forward in his seat. “See! See! That could have killed me. Whiplash.” 

“We're fine. You're neck's fine.” Ryan chuckled. He could hear Jeremy pulling something out from underneath the passenger seat as they parked in front of the bank. He turned to find Jeremy pulling a ski mask on. “Why are you wearing a mask?!”

“People can't know what I look like!” Jeremy exclaimed, turning to face Ryan. “I mean, they might start to think I'm Rimmy Tim or something.” 

Ryan just shook his head, sighing heavily. “God damn it Jeremy. You're gonna give us away.”

“So these are the security cameras. There's four of them in place, you'll need to take those out before you break into the vault or else you'll be broadcasting to the LSPD.” Lester explained, ignoring the pair and pulling the feed up on his phone. “Once you've hacked in, the hacker will have to open the vault doors from the hacking system. As I said, all you've got to do is grab the bonds and get out of there. If you've got it, lets head back to my warehouse and pick up Paige.”

Ryan slowly pulled out and turned to head back into Los Santos. Lester immediately called Paige to let them know how things went while Jeremy tried to relax in the passenger seat. He watched as Ryan discretely turned the radio up and started bobbing along to the music. Jeremy smirked when they reached the intersection of Bay City Ave and San Andreas Ave. “You want to hit that guy.”

“What guy? I don't know what guy you're talking about.”

“Ryan...” Ryan heard Jeremy laugh as he clipped the biker. “Good man.”

“What was that?!” Lester asked, letting out a scream.

“Oh nothing. Just a little Fakes fun.” Jeremy reassured him. “Don't worry about it.”

Lester didn't look convinced but chose to remain silent. They pulled into lot next to Lester's warehouse where Paige was already waiting for them out front. After short formalities, everyone climbed into the black Grainger holding the heist information and set out for Eclipse Tower. Paige and Lester chatted away in the back seat about all of the things that needed to right with the heist as Jeremy and Ryan tuned them out. They knew what it took to pull a successful heist off.

They were ready to prove they were the right guys for the job.


	3. Chapter Three

Jeremy had called Michael and Gavin on their way back to Ryan's penthouse, asking them to come over so they could flush out the plan. The two lads were waiting when Ryan and Jeremy pulled up. “Michael. Gavin. Would you mind grabbing the boxes out of the back?” Ryan asked out the passenger side window.

“No problem.” Gavin replied as Michael popped open the back.

“Jesus. Do you have enough shit?” Michael asked.

“It's information on every job we're about to do.” Ryan reminded him and Michael gave him a look before pulling one of the two large crates out of the back. Gavin pulled out the second one and Ryan pulled into the garage to park. From there, he came around to the front entrance of the apartment to let everyone in and help carry the crates up.

Setting up the heist room was easy. Ryan moved the boxes of information into the far right corner of the room, making a mental note to go through all of it when everyone was gone. The white board was a mess of barely legible writing and job descriptions. Jeremy had drawn a design depicting how the hacking system worked. Ryan made sure everything was laid out before turning to address the lads.

“So the Kuruma we're going to be stealing is owned by a group of petty criminals. Thugs who wouldn't know a good heist if they stumbled into it. Getting there should be the easy part. Getting away with it won't be. I want all four of us together on this. Once we clear out the strays, Michael and Gavin are going to drive the Kuruma we're picking up back to Lester's warehouse. Jeremy and I will then go pick you guys up. From there, we'll head back here and go over the actual heist.” Ryan explained. He nodded to Jeremy.

“So Gav... this is the hacking system. I practiced it on the way back from the bank. Really easy. Its a circuit board and you've just got to make sure the information gets from point A to point B.” Jeremy moved over to the white board and demonstrated how the circuit actually worked.

“You can do it right from the apartment.” Ryan chimed in. “Which means, Michael, if you want...”

“I'm in.” Michael grinned.

“Alright. We've got four hours before we've got to grab that Kuruma. If you want to go pick up body armor or weapons, now would be the time to do it.”

“Explosives?” Michael looked hopeful.

“No explosives. We're not taking any unnecessary risks.” Ryan said sternly. “You're more than welcome to stay if you think you've got everything you're gonna need.”

“We could just take your shit Ryan.” Gavin suggested cheekily.

“And I could just kill you for it.” Ryan grinned at him, causing Gavin to shiver involuntarily. Michael and Jeremy burst out laughing, Ryan and Gavin quickly joining in. “Seriously though, you're welcome to whatever you can find in here. May not be as much as you expect.”

They were interrupted by a meow coming from the other side of the door. “Violet!” Ryan hadn't seen Gavin so excited in quite a while. “You still have her?”

“Of course I still have her. How little you think of me Gav.” Ryan opened the door to Violet sitting, somewhat impatiently, waiting for Ryan to finish. The Lads watched as Ryan's expression softened at the sight of the cat. They knew better than to say anything. “I'm guessing you want more food, huh?” Ryan chuckled to himself, carefully stepping over the cat and making his way to the kitchen.

“I... what was that?” Michael asked the other two lads. “I mean, we knew Ryan had the cat and whatnot but still... he just...”

“He cares.” Jeremy replied. “Remember when Ryan ran? Remember why he did it? He'd hurt me. He was afraid he'd hurt someone else. He cared. There are very few things in this line of work that we can truly care about. Let the man care about his cat.”

“Its just so funny seeing Ryan...”

“Seeing Ryan what?” Ryan cut Gavin off.

“Nothing.” Gavin said quickly.

Ryan nodded but didn't say anything else. He glanced around at the three lads who looked like they were just seeing him for the first time. Sighing, Ryan chuckled and shook his head. “Who's up for a game?”

“Only if it's Mario Party.”

“Fine Gav. We can play Mario Party.”

****

“Is everybody ready?” Ryan asked, looking at the lads sitting on his couch. He'd shrugged on his leather jacket and had already shoved his mask into the back pocket of his jeans. He watched the three Lads nod in unison. “Alright. I'll go grab my Kuruma and I'll pick you guys up out front.”

The lads stood and the four of them made their way to the door. “Double check right now that you have at least a pistol and a mask. Especially you Gavin.”

“What? Why me?”

“Because you always fucking forget your pistol.” Michael replied, patting down his own pockets. “Good here.”

“Got it.” Jeremy chimed in.

“I'm... oh.” Gavin stopped, realizing he hadn't actually grabbed a pistol. Michael rolled his eyes while Ryan sighed. “I'll go...”

“I've got an extra.” 

“Michael my boi!”

“Yeah yeah. Let's go.” Michael said practically shoving Gavin out the door. Jeremy and Ryan followed. They rode the elevator down together before Ryan broke off to grab his Kuruma. Making his way toward it, he quickly checked his texts to make sure everything was still in order. Satisfied it was, he opened the door and slid into the drivers seat, relaxing into it.

He quickly pulled out of the garage and around to the front of the apartment building. He laughed to himself as he saw the Lads waiting. “I was trying to figure out why no one was on this sidewalk then I saw you three. I get it now.”

“We're dangerous Ry-bread.” Gavin replied.

“Uh huh. Sure you are.” Ryan was now laughing. “Would you get in before you draw more attention to yourselves.”

“Please,” Michael said, climbing in behind Ryan. “You fucking live here. They're used to weird shit every day.”

“Fair point.” Ryan shrugged before taking off toward the intersection of Red Desert Ave and North Rockford Drive. Jeremy quietly sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with something in his hands. “Jeremy...” Ryan warned as he saw a flare land in the middle of the road.

“Sorry Ryan.” Michael and Gavin giggled in the back seat. 

Ryan turned the car onto North Rockford Drive and slowly pulled into the parking garage on the corner. “What have we got for weapons?” Ryan asked as he made his way up the parking garage.

“I've got a combat pistol. I'm gonna bip 'em.” Jeremy replied, pulling his gun out of his shoulder holster.

“An AP pistol really is better suited for this but it's fine. We work with what we've got. Now, no one gets out until everyone is dead, understood?” Ryan said, stopping the car on Level 3 of the parking garage.

“Got it.” The Lads said in unison.

“Good. Now, put on your masks and we'll get this done.” Ryan pulled his black skull mask on with a practiced fluidity. Jeremy tied a bandanna around the lower half of his face, Michael and Gavin doing the same. “Alright. Let's do this.” 

Ryan finished driving the car up to the top of the parking garage, slowing down just before reaching the open air. He gave a quick nod to the Lads before pulling out his AP Pistol, watching as Michael, Gavin and Jeremy did the same. Satisfied they were ready, he pulled out into the lot, rolling the windows down so the boys could shoot.

“Uh, Ry. Why can't I shoot those guys?” Jeremy glanced over his right shoulder.

“I'd appreciate it if you did.” Ryan replied, shooting two guys directly in front of them. “Gav, can you...”

“Got them.” 

“Thanks Gav.” Jeremy said, shooting one standing just behind the Kuruma they needed. 

Between the four of them, it took no time in taking out the Little Seoul crew guarding the armored Kuruma they needed. Michael and Gavin climbed out and quickly moved to the other Kuruma, Jeremy and Ryan waiting as Michael hot-wired it to get it started. “We'll follow you guys to make sure no one gets in your way.” Ryan radioed in over comms. “Let us know if you're getting hit from somewhere and we'll take care of it.”

“Got it.” Michael radioed back, taking off out of the parking garage. As soon as they turned onto North Rockford, Michael and Gavin heard a loud ping off the side of the car. “Uh, they found us.”

“We're on it.” Jeremy replied, shooting out the tires of the two cars headed toward Michael and Gavin. “Watch out for the guys who will head toward you.”

“Gavin? Want to shoot them or something?” Michael asked him, swerving to miss a car headed straight for them. Gavin didn't reply, just rolled the window down and hung himself out of it, aiming toward anyone who looked like a threat. 

“Jeremy's got you covered from behind.” Ryan could hear Gavin and Michael giggling over the radio. “Just head straight for Lester's we should be good when we get there.” Jeremy and Ryan watched as the cars started pulling off. They knew better than to head into that part of town. Not when the Fakes still had the reach they did.

Michael pulled into the lot of Lester's warehouse and parked under the on-ramp right next to the building. Getting out, they were greeted by Paige, who took over the car and handed them a key. “This is what you guys will need tomorrow when you do the job. Come get the car at noon.” Michael and Gavin nodded and headed toward Jeremy and Ryan. “Oh! And don't be late.” She called after them.

The ride back to Ryan's apartment was unusually quiet. Jeremy's leg had started bouncing slightly the closer they got. Ryan glanced in the rear view mirror. Gavin's head was rested against the window while Michael was chewing on his fingernails, a habit that never ceased to annoy Ryan. Geoff's voice echoed in Ryan's head. 

_"Ryan, I know you do whatever you think is right for the crew. I don’t doubt it for a second. Which is why I want you to lead the lads in this one. They listen to you, they respect you. You’ve all got each other’s backs, you’ve proven that over and over.”_

“Hey.” Ryan started softly. “I know you guys are nervous. You've got every right to be. These jobs are going to be hard. And they're going to be dangerous. I know each of you will do whatever you think is right. You've got each other's backs. You've got my back. And you know I've got yours. We're going to crush these jobs. Nothing is going to stand in our way. Nothing has before and it certainly won't now.” Gavin picked his head up off the window and Michael paused. “I know, I've said it before. But I'm going to keep repeating it until you understand it. There is no group of people in Los Santos who can do what we do. There's no one else that could do these jobs like we can. We will do this. It's time to remind everyone why the Fakes are still the top criminals in Los Santos.”


	4. Chapter Four

The boys went their separate ways once they reached the apartment, agreeing to meet back up at 10 am to go over the final details for the heist. Ryan made his way up to the penthouse, shrugging out of his jacket as he walked through the door. He threw his jacket and mask on the couch before moving to the refrigerator, pulling a Diet Coke out. He knew it was too late to check in on his facility, he'd do that in the morning. 

Sighing, he made his way over to his bookshelf to find something to read. Pulling one off the shelf, he turned it over to read the cover. “Persuasion: Dark Psychology – Techniques to Master Mind Control, Manipulation and Deception.” He muttered out loud to the empty room. Violet came over and set herself at his feet. “I guess Gavin was trying to tell me something?” He said to the cat, chuckling. Throwing himself into his chair, he settled in for what he knew would be a long night.

****

Around one am, Ryan's apartment was buzzed. Wandering over to the security system, he noticed Michael standing outside of the building. Pressing the com, Ryan sighed audibly. “Aren't you supposed to be asleep?”

Michael chuckled. “Couldn't. Gonna let me in or am I gonna have to stand here freezing?”

“Fine.” Ryan buzzed him in. He waited by the door until he heard Michael approaching before swinging it open. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I...” Michael paused and Ryan noticed Michael's eyes. They were red and puffy, almost as if he'd been crying. “Couldn't sleep. Needed to talk.”

Ryan stepped back and gestured Michael in. Closing the door behind him, Ryan slid the chain across, much like he'd do if he was retiring for the night. “What's on you're mind Michael?”

“It's today, you know.” Michael started, sitting down on Ryan's couch and opening the liquor bottle he'd brought, taking a long swig. “A fucking year ago today.” 

Ryan hadn't given much thought to the date but as he walked by the calendar on the wall, his heart sank. Shit. They were pulling the first heist of a massive pull on the anniversary of Geoff's death. Ryan's timing could not have been worse. “I think about it a lot.” He replied, lying smoothly.

Michael looked skeptical but didn't say anything. “I mean, I know he'd want us doing this. Sticking together and doing jobs but... it's weird. It just didn't fucking feel right. And with Geoff doing what he did...”

“I promise, no one will have to make that decision.” Ryan stated firmly. “If there's even a chance something bad could happen, we back out. It's not worth losing anyone else.” Michael took another swig. “How are you feeling Michael?”

“Nervous. Sad. Angry. Tired.” Michael sighed. “They took Geoff from us Ryan. And we can't fucking get him back.”

“I know.” Ryan sat back down in his chair, taking a drink of his Diet Coke. “But we all know what Geoff would think about us pulling this off. We've got this.”

“I get why Geoff trusted you with so much. At the end. You're good.” Michael took another long drink “What possessed you to think leaving was the right thing to do?” Michael asked suddenly, startling Ryan. 

“I wasn't in control of myself.” Ryan replied reproachfully.

“Bullshit.”

“Michael...” Ryan gave him a look. “You should know better than anyone that what happened at the hands of the Randoms...”

“Doesn't have to change you.” Ryan could tell Michael was drunk but knew he needed to let him talk. “It's your fucking choice to let it Ry. We know **you**. No one else does.” Ryan raised an eyebrow in Michael's direction. “What? You think Lil J is the only observant one? Fuck you dude.” Michael responded, dissolving into a fit of giggles.

“You're drunk Michael.” Ryan could only shake his head.

“Sometimes. Sometimes you're a piece of shit. We all are. But we're also all we've got. I told you this once before but we're all fucking hypocrites. Think about it. That night, when you had Gav on the roof. I would have given anything to change places with him. Or when we all thought Jeremy was a traitor. All the shit he did to protect you. You and you're fucking twisted way of protecting us by leaving. Geoff...” Michael trailed off, a sob catching in his throat. “We're all fucking hypocrites. We all say one thing and do another. You're the fucking worst of the bunch.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You think if you just fucking internalize everything that no one will ever figure out just how much it fucking hurts. But, you're a dumbass who also has not realized we know how you work. You now how I work. How Jeremy works. How Gavin works. In the end, you aren't internalizing shit because we can all see right through it. And you can see through us.”

“I'm thinking you'll be too drunk to remember this conversation in the morning so here it goes.” Ryan muttered, watching Michael take another swig from the bottle. “Want to know something?” He said louder, drawing Michael's attention.

Michael's face softened, pleased Ryan was going to talk. “Always Ry.” 

“That night of the ambush... I was angry. So angry. My brain was not comprehending how, after everything we'd been through, the people I was willing to die for would set up an ambush for me.” Ryan shook his head sadly, glancing down at his hands. “I had to remind myself you guys were my crew. That I didn't want to hurt you.” He looked back up to see Michael watching him intently, bottle of liquor set aside. “I felt so guilty for thinking that. Guilty that I had to remind myself of that fact. Then we found out why Jeremy was doing what he did. Shadowlz was back and I made a decision. I did what I thought was right. I still think it was right. It should have been planned out better but... I was still willing to give everything for you guys.

“Then you guys saved me. And I felt guiltier. Because you all risked yourselves for me. Everything that had happened, all the thoughts I'd had... I was certain I wasn't worth the risk. I also knew at that point that I'd never hurt anyone. At least, not intentionally. I wasn't seeing Jeremy when I stabbed him. I was seeing Geoff.” Michael had never seen Ryan look so ashamed in all the time he'd known him. “I was so angry Geoff had taken Shadowlz kill from me. But again, I knew I'd never intentionally hurt anyone. That's why I left. Intentional or not, I'd stabbed a member of the crew. Someone got hurt by my hands.

“I did my best to ignore any news about the crew but you guys were always there. Like a parasite I couldn't get rid of.” Ryan chuckled. “But it gave me a lot of time to think. I've always known there's something different about me. Some may even say I have a split personality. That personality has saved you guys, and myself, more times than I can count. But it's a part of me. Having all those thoughts about either wanting to hurt one of you or even reminding myself not to hurt you made me realize something. You guys are my family. My fucked up, dysfunctional family. And we all only ever do what we do to protect everyone else. I guess this is my long-winded way of saying I'll never stop feeling guilty. And I'll always, in some way, be fighting myself. But I'm here. All of me. There's nothing you guys will need to worry about.” Ryan hadn't been paying much attention to Michael, who let out a loud snore, causing Ryan to jump. Shaking his head, Ryan stood up, pulling a blanket up over Michael. “And this is why I internalize asshole.” 

****

The next morning was a blur. Around seven am, Ryan made his way into the heist room and called in on his facility. “How's the R&D going?” He asked briskly. “Anything we can get out soon?”

“Not as soon as you'd like, sir. We still need to do another round of testing on our latest model of Rocket Launcher before we could even think about selling.” His lead Scientist replied.

“Let me know when it's ready for testing. I'll test it out myself.”

“Of course, sir. Is there anything else you'd like us to be working on?”

“That's it for now. Make sure you send me any new designs before they get started. I don't want to waste any resources on shit.”

“Of course.” And with that, the conversation abruptly ended. Lucky for Ryan, it ended just before Michael woke up. “How are you feeling?” Ryan called out to him, making his way to the kitchen.

“Better than I fucking deserve.” Michael mumbled, moving towards the bar in Ryan's kitchen. “You making breakfast Ry?”

“Sure. Why not?” Ryan shrugged, mostly to himself. He moved around the kitchen, gathering ingredients to cook breakfast. Making sure everything was pulled out and ready to go, he moved over to the end of the counter, pulling out the cat food. Violet jumped up and Ryan scratched her head before moving back over to the sink, washing his hands, and starting breakfast. “If Jeremy or Gav buzz, let them in will you?”

“Sure thing.” Michael had already made his way to the refrigerator and had pulled out the orange juice. Ryan chuckled, pulling a glass out of the cabinet for him, along with a couple aspirin. Michael took the pills and downed the orange juice just as the apartment was buzzed. “No visitors.” Michael said gruffly, trying to quiet his giggles.

“Aww c'mon Michael.” Gavin cried out, causing both Ryan and Michael burst out laughing.

“Fine. Fine. You two can come in.” Michael buzzed them in and waited by the door for them. Opening the door on their approach, he smiled at the two of them. “Rybread is making breakfast.”

“Really?” Gavin moved quickly to the kitchen only to find Ryan sitting at the bar, a glass of milk and some pancakes in front of him. “Damn it.”

“You'll see it someday Gav.” Jeremy chuckled, taking a pancake off the plate and eating it with his hands. “Not bad Ry.”

Ryan shrugged. “I try. So... are you guys ready to go over the plan?”

****

“Hold people at gunpoint? That sounds like a Ryan thing.” Jeremy said, looking at the job descriptions written on the white board. Ryan chuckled as he and Jeremy shared a look. “Maybe you and Michael should do crowd control and I'll drill into the box.”

“Works for me.” Michael replied.

“Gavin will hack the safe as soon as we get on the highway. We don't want this to take any longer than necessary.” Ryan looked around the room. “We're going in loud. So don't worry about grabbing anything silenced. We shouldn't have to use the guns but I can almost guarantee we'll run into some roadblocks.”

“The sooner we get on the road, the better I'll feel about all of this.”

“Jeremy...” Ryan started.

“Seriously Ry. The best thing we can do is just getting it over with. I'm too nervous right now.” Jeremy replied.

“Alright. If you're ready, let's go."

****

Ryan could tell the drive to the Fleeca bank was too long for Michael and Jeremy. Michael kept chewing on his fingernails while Jeremy figdeted with the strap on the bag he was holding. “Gav? How's the hack looking?”

“Almost done Ry. One more to... oh. That's cheeky.”

“What's cheeky?” Jeremy asked curiously.

“The first two came out of the left side of the screen. This one came out of the right.” Gavin explained. “Alright. I hope you guys are there because the vault is open.”

“Good job boi.” Michael said as Ryan pulled up in front of the bank. 

“Masks on.” Ryan pulled his on, watching as Jeremy and Michael did the same. “Michael, you and I will take out the cameras. Jeremy, drill that safe and get out of there. Are we good?”

“Yeah. Let's do this.” Jeremy grinned under the mask.

****

Ryan was having far too much fun. He'd missed days like this. Days where crowd control was his only concern. Where he could say the most ridiculous things and people would still cower in fear because he was the Vagabond. “Hey hey hey. You get on the ground. Hey. Don't make any sudden moves. It'll go bad for you.” He said, pointing his gun towards the teller. “You like these pamphlets? Fuck your pamphlets.” He turned his attention back to the limited bank-goers. “There is no spiderman. There is no Captain America. These things are figments of your imagination. I will shoot you.” Michael stood there, gun at the ready, just shaking his head and giggling. He could hear Gavin laughing through the comms.

“I'm almost there Ryan.” Jeremy called out.

“Dude, my guys are scared.” Michael grinned. Ryan could tell Michael was having just as much fun as he was.

“I've got it.” They heard Jeremy say. Ryan slowly started backing out the door, keeping his Carbine trained on the civilians. 

“You good Michael?”

“Good to go.” He ran out past Ryan, Jeremy hot on his heels. 

Ryan finished backing out the bank doors and made his way to the drivers side of the Kiruma. “Oh shit!” He just barely had time to react as a cop car came flying past him. “Time to go!” He said as he climbed in and put the car in drive. 

“Hey Ry? Look out.” Jeremy pointed out the windshield, bringing the everyone's attention to the road block the LSPD had made.

“Eh. Don't worry about it.” Ryan grinned

“I've got my getaway guy waiting for you if you on Zancudo Bridge. He's got a plan for the cops if you can just get there.” The guys heard Lester say through the comms. “Guy's name is Eddie Toh, he's a professional, he'll take care of everything.”

“Got it.” Ryan replied, running through the police road block. 

“That guy got annihilated!” Jeremy laughed.

“What a shitty day for him.” Ryan laughed with him as they reached the bridge leading to Fort Zancudo. “There's our ride.” Michael and Jeremy looked out the windshield to see a cargo bob with a giant magnet hovering over the bridge.

“Wait. Is that seriously going to pick us up?” Michael asked.

“Sure is.” Ryan said, slowing down to try and maneuver under the magnet. “C'mon. Beam me up Scotty.” The lads all laughed at the comment. Michael and Jeremy leaned forward, watching the cargo bob pull ahead. “He's leaving us!”

“Just a little further Ry.” Jeremy replied, feeling the car being pulled upward. “We're good!”

“Woo!” Michael yelled. “Hey, do we know where we're going?”

“Yeah, we're being dropped just outside the city after we lose the cops.” Ryan explained. “Then, we just drive back to Lester's and we get a nice deposit in our bank accounts.”

“One heist down boys.” Jeremy laughed as the cargo bob flew towards the city.

“Let's just get to Lester's shall we?” Ryan grinned, feeling the wheels of the Kuruma touch pavement. As soon as he realized he was clear, he floored it, streaking his way through the city to Lester's warehouse. Michael and Jeremy laughed as Ryan slid to a stop in front of Lester's door.

“Show it to me.” They heard Lester's voice through the window. The three climbed out and Jeremy handed over the box to Lester. “Listen, if that thing comes up, I'll let you know. In the meantime, someone will be in contact to get the next part rolling, so keep your phones on.” He turned to go back inside before pausing. “Oh. Keep the Kuruma. You've earned it.” 

Ryan, Michael and Jeremy all glanced around at each other, shrugging. Deciding against arguing, they all climbed back in and headed back toward Ryan's apartment, making talk along the way. “We did good.” Gavin said as the boys walked into the apartment.

“Real good. And it's only going to get better.” Ryan smirked.

“I think this calls for a drink.” Jeremy made his way over to the bar, grabbing Michael's liquor from the previous night and three glasses out of the cabinet. “A toast to the best criminals Los Santos has ever seen.”

Gavin and Michael laughed as Ryan just shook his head. “Alright. Calm down Captain Confidence. We've got a long way to go.”

“Hey Lil J? Game of Mario Kart?” Gavin glanced over at Ryan's setup.

“You're going down Free.”

Ryan felt something bump into his shoulder and, glancing over, noticed Michael staring at him. “What?”

“Thanks for being honest last night.” Michael said so only the two of them could hear. “And thanks for finally fucking talking.” Before Ryan could reply, Michael had thrown himself down on the couch next to Gavin, taking another sip from his glass. Ryan shook his head and smiled, feeling calmer and more collected than he had in a long time.


	5. Update

So hate putting an update in the middle of a story but I wanted to explain kind of what's going on. About a month and a half ago, my lovely dog (who I really do love dearly), knocked over some fingernail polish remover on my laptop. So I'm currently out a laptop at the moment since my priority money wise is getting to RTX. I've been slowly rewriting the next chapter on my phone but it's a slow process. I hope you understand and I'm sorry for the lack of updates.

<3 Carrie


	6. Chapter Six

Ryan hadn't heard from Lester or anyone else about the next heist in the few days after pulling off the Fleeca Job. About a week after getting their shares, Ryan got a call from someone calling himself 'Agent 14'.

“I need you guys here ASAP.” Ryan told each of the lads, calling them. “Next job is up.” He had no sooner hung up the phone than there was a knock on the door.

“Mr. Crest said we should talk about work.” The man looked around quickly. “But not here.”

Ryan opened the door wider, inviting him into the penthouse. The man glanced around, taking in his surroundings. “Is there a room we can...”

“Over there. The rest of the guys should be here shortly.” Ryan pointed to the door of their heist room. Agent 14 nodded and made his way to the room, closing the door behind him. Ryan glanced down at the cat who had entangled herself in his legs. “Yeah. I know.” He shook his head as he said it.

He moved into the kitchen, grabbing himself a Diet Coke before moving back toward the door. No sooner had he reached it then he heard the buzzer go off. “You guys are good.” He let them all in before leading them toward the room.

“Good. Mr. Crest said you could help me... well, not me. Someone else. I'm not involved. I'm a bystander doing a favor. This isn't employment, this is an opportunity.” Agent 14 pulled a picture out of his jacket pocket. “Professor Maxim Rashkovsky. Used to be head of research for the Army. Committed for a crime he did commit but, as they say, money talks and so he's gonna walk. There are a few things you're going to want to get done before you actually help the Professor out. I've gone through your lovely box there and pinned up all the information you're gonna need. Now, if you're good, I'll make myself scarce.” And just like that, Agent 14 was gone, leaving the four Fakes wondering if the man had even been there in the first place.

\----------------

The first setup was simple: steal a Velum from Mackenzie Airfield in Blaine County. The downside was, of course, the plane was guarded by twenty or so Vagos. Ryan welcomed the challenge. Any victory Ryan could claim against the Vagos was welcome. But he knew how nervous the boys were and how nervous they would be after hearing the plan.

“Best way for us to do this is to just stay in the vehicle. Just like picking up the Kiruma. If we stay in the car, we should be able to pick them off easily. From there, I'll fly the plane to a hanger at the Los Santos International Airport.” Ryan explained.

“Are you crazy?” Jeremy asked incredulously. “We are Los Santos' Most Wanted! What if someone recognizes you?”

Ryan braced himself. “I won't be wearing face paint under the mask.” All three lads gave an audible gasp. “Listen...”

“Ryan! You're mad!” Gavin sqwaked.

“It's the best option. You guys are all fairly recognizable. Me? Not so much. I've got a better chance at sneaking around than you guys.”

“Yeah. Let's just forget that all of Los Santos has seen your face.” Michael argued.

“Not well.” Jeremy countered.

“Does that really matter?”

“Yes.” Ryan replied. “The people who will end up seeing me haven't been hunting me for the last few years.”

“Don't bring your logic into this. I didn't think we'd be doing anything dangerous.”

“Trust me.” Ryan said, a pleading look in his eyes. “If I think for a second that it's too dangerous, I'll pull out. We'll pull out.”

“Phrasing?” Jeremy muttered, knowing Ryan would pick up on it.

“Phrasing.” Ryan nodded, grinning. “So this is what we're gonna do. Is everyone okay with that?”

Gavin was the first to speak up. “I don't like it Ryan. I don't like it at all. But if you're sure we'll be okay...”

“Scouts honor.”

“Lucky for you, I was never a scout.” Michael chimed in. “They're all about honor. We, thank god, are not.”Jeremy and Gavin giggled while Ryan just shook his head.

“So are we good?”

“Yeah Rye. We're good.” Jeremy replied. “When are we going?”

“Our best window of opportunity will be tomorrow morning. You guys come by and we'll take my insurgent.”

“Will the insurgent be tough enough Ryan?” Gavin asked.

“Should be. I've put enough armor on it.”

“Okay then. We'll come by tomorrow.” Jeremy grabbed his Stetson and made a move to put it on top of his head.

“Don't think I don't want to talk about that Jeremy.” Ryan pointed to Jeremy's now bald head.

Jeremy laughed before placing the hat on his head. “We still haven't talked about the blue hair. Or the green.” He looked over at Michael and Gavin. “You guys want to grab something to eat?”

“I'm good. Lindsay and I have plans.” Michael fidgeted with his hands. Ryan was the only one to notice and it made him worry.

“Gav?”

Gavin paused, pondering. “Yeah. I'm feeling a bit peckish.”

“Rye?”

“Nah. I've got stuff to take care of before we head out to Blaine tomorrow. Make sure you aren't out too late.” Ryan was starting to feel very much like a mother hen.

“Yes Mother.” Jeremy laughed, heading toward the door with Gavin.

“Don't ever call me that again. Got it?”

“Aye aye Captain.” Gavin giggled at Jeremy's response and the two walked out, leaving Ryan and Michael.

“Are you good Michael?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah. Just waiting for those two idiots to leave. Lindsay and I don't have plans. I just didn't want to end up dragged into whatever plan Gavin will concoct at dinner.”

Ryan chuckled. “So what are your plans?”

“I've got nothing. Why?”

“Take a ride?” Ryan raised an eyebrow.

“Is this so you can dump my body in the Grand Senora Desert?”

“Desert? Yes. Dump your body? Nah. You're still useful to me.”

“Awe. Thanks Ryebread.” Michael mockingly cooed. “Alright. I'll go. What are we doing?”

“I've got to check in with someone.” Ryan grabbed the keys to his Zentorno.

“I'm slightly scared.” Michael joked.

“Don't worry. These people are slightly smarter and infinitely less scary than me.” Ryan paused as they climbed in. “Slightly smarter.”

“I'm surprised you're giving them that much credit.”

“I've got to give them something. They work for me after all.”

“Ooh. Now we're getting somewhere.” Michael replied before pausing to think. “Wait. You're doing shit behind our backs?”

“Don't tell me,” Ryan said as he drifted the car onto the freeway, “that you guys haven't done anything outside of the crew.”

“Yeah, I guess. It's just weird hearing it said out loud. I mean, outside of small side jobs, I haven't taken a substantive job that wasn't crew related in years.”

“I started a small drug trafficking ring when I first got to Los Santos. I ended up enjoying the extra curricular stuff more so I hired people to run the shit I didn't want to.” Ryan paused as he turned onto a small dirt road. “They came up with this idea to start an R&D division working specifically on weapons. I okay'd it but I haven't been out there to see what they're actually doing.”

Ryan came to a stop on the edge of what looked like a slab of concrete. He watched as Michael's jaw dropped. What had looked like regular desert and concrete had transformed into a giant platform with hinged doors. “What?

“This is the fun part.” Ryan laughed, pulling the car onto the platform. Michael jumped as the platform started to lower, bringing a network of tunnels in to view.

“How the fuck have you managed to keep us from knowing about any of this?” Michael asked incredulously.

“Eh. I'm good at hiding shit.”

“Just not the important stuff.” Michael grinned, Ryan matching his smile.

Michael followed Ryan's lead and climbed out of the car when the platform stopped. “Mr Haywood! We were not expecting you.” The assistant exclaimed, scurrying out from behind her desk.

“I'm here to see R&D. Don't tell them I'm here.” Ryan warned.

“Of course sir. Is there anything I can get for you or your colleague?”

“Michael?”

“A beer.” Michael replied and Ryan shook his head.

“Grab him a Pisswater please.”

“Or something better if you've got it.” Ryan rolled his eyes.

“We'll be in R&D.” Ryan started down the corridor to the left, leaving Michael to play catch up. They walked in silence for a couple minutes before Ryan spoke up. “You sure you're alright?”

Michael pondered for a moment. “It's just Lindsay. She love the chaos as much as we do but...” He trailed off.

“But?”

“She brought up kids the other day. I'm just not ready for that. I'm not ready to give this up, you know?” Michael replied.

Ryan nodded as they reached the doors to R&D. “Sounds like you need to talk to her about it. Maybe tell her what you just told me. That you're not ready. Or that you'll talk about it seriously with her after all of this is over. That you're still too involved.”

“I've thought...” Michael was cut off by the sound of an explosion. “What the fuck was that?”

“Must be testing the rocket launcher.” Ryan mused, pushing his way through the doors. “I thought I told you I'd test it.” He said, his deep voice echoing through the room, an edge to his tone. All eyes turned toward Ryan and Michael saw people physically cringe.

Michael watched Ryan smirk as one of the scientists came up to him. “If you checked your messages even once every week, you'd know we were ready. We also know you tend to ignore us unless it's important so...” They shrugged and Ryan laughed at Michael's reaction. “What's wrong with him?”

“She... you...” Michael wasn't quite sure what to say, his eyes bouncing between the two people in front of him.

“Do you want to test the Rocket Launcher or not?” The scientist turned her attention back to Ryan.

“I'm sure Michael will.” Ryan nodded toward Michael, glancing over Michael's shoulder to see his assistant entering with Michael's beer. Michael returned the nod, looking hungrily toward where the Rocket Launcher was being tested. He took the beer, thanked the assistant and proceeded to down the beer without stopping. Wiping a hand over his mouth, Michael gestured to the scientist to lead the way. She raised an eyebrow before leading them to the testing range.

Ryan and the scientist stood back as Michael entered the range. He watched as members of his team lead Michael through all of the features they'd added and what to expect from the Launcher itself. “This really should be tested outside.” He said quietly to his lead scientist.

“Yes but we also don't want to be attracting too much attention. Keeping it in here, in a controlled environment, where we can see everything that is going on with the weapon itself has been helpful. And there are no police crawling up our asses.”

Ryan laughed. “Fair enough. I'm going to head to my office for a few. Let me know when he's done?”

“Do I look like your assistant?” The scientist glanced over at him.

“For now, you are. You're watching out for him.” Ryan gave her a grin which she returned with a one-fingered salute.

\-------------

Michael found Ryan twenty minutes later, tucked into paperwork at his desk. Ryan looked up when he heard Michael enter. “Any good?” He asked.

“They fucking built that?” Michael's grin said it all.

“Yeah. They've been working really hard on that one in particular. I take it you liked it?” 

“I want one. Like, now Ryan.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair. “I'm sure I could arrange something. It coud possibly come in handy during one of these heists.”

“That thing? It will make our lives ten times easier.”

“Good to hear.” Ryan stood and stretched. 

“So… what is it you actually do?” Michael asked him, moving closer to the desk. “There’s no fucking way you do paperwork?”

“Not often. Most times I leave the hard work to the people who understand it a little better than I do.” Ryan laughed. He glanced down at the clock on his desk. “Ready to head out?”

“Ready when you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been stuck in a rut but here's something I've worked on


End file.
